beehive roof

[Nige.Coll]

this may be a silly question but has anyone ever painted the roof of their hive black during the winter months so it absorbs the heat from the sunlight or would this cause the hive to overheat?

i know it wouldn't be practical in summer .

 

[cafemonkey]

black roof

Funny you should mention it but my hive arrived (from a friend) with a black roof. We live in the north (depending on where you are geographically) I was going to have a special 'Shiny roof' for the summer. Could do with it at mo, it's 32' here in sunny Barnsley.

 

[itma]

There was a bit of discussion a while back.

Much greater effect (of winter warming) to insulate your hive (particularly above the colony - like the roof.)

 

[Finman]

.
That same danger is in human houses and in cars

."Green House Phenomenom."

Yeh. Normally a roof makes a shadow, but in UK ?.

.

 

[cafemonkey]

This matt black roof has internal polystyrene insulation. Like an Arctic roof lol.

 

[Davelin]

this may be a silly question but has anyone ever painted the roof of their hive black during the winter months so it absorbs the heat from the sunlight or would this cause the hive to overheat?

i know it wouldn't be practical in summer .

What is just as important is that matt black is the best radiator of heat as well as the best absorber.
I suspect that you would overall lose more heat in winter with a black roof.

 

[user 6228]

this may be a silly question but has anyone ever painted the roof of their hive black during the winter months so it absorbs the heat from the sunlight or would this cause the hive to overheat?

i know it wouldn't be practical in summer .

i keep my hives silver all year and shade them even so from the cold of the winter night sky

 

[Liam C Ryan]

What type of hive is it, looks a bit Sci-Fi.